Speaker Steve Crisafulli plays Seminole Compact cards close to the vest

Florida House Speaker Steve Crisafulli said he has no strong feelings about gambling but when talking about cards, he knows how to hold them – close to his chest.

A card game provision in a gambling compact with the Seminole Tribe expires in August. The overall agreement gives the tribe exclusive rights to table games and has produced more than $1 billion in revenues for the state over the past five years.

Gov. Rick Scott looked to renegotiate the deal last year, but talks bogged down during the summer. Scott wanted to increase the state’s take. Lawmakers would need to ratify any agreement. Senate President Andy Gardiner  isn’t a fan of gambling, and he has said he wouldn’t care if the compact dissolved.

Then there’s Crisafulli.

“What I think is the great thing about this process is that we’re going to have the opportunity to have that conversation (about) what we should do,” said Crisafulli in an exclusive interview. “Is it expansion or contraction or does it include something with parimutuels? What is it?  . . . We have to have that conversation.”

The speaker acknowledges that there are strong feelings for both expanding and contracting gaming in the state. Efforts to bring destination casinos to South Florida have fallen apart the past two sessions. Gambling forces contributed heavily, reportedly as much as $17 million, in the recent election cycle and Las Vegas casino owner Sheldon Adelson bankrolled the effort to defeat Amendment 2 opposed by Gov. Rick Scott.

Gardiner represents the Orlando area, home to gambling opponent Disney World and consistently votes with the Florida Chamber on issues, which is also opposed to expansion of gambling. He once served as the Apoka Chamber executive director.

“I’m open to having the conversation. I don’t have a strong feeling either way about the issue,” said Crisafulli. “And truth be told, there may be nothing that comes about from it. We may just go on and nothing changes.”

The speaker knows how to hold them and apparently is also willing to fold them and walk away.